You expect a human to be behind anything that hits you on a city street. When a boxy delivery robot rolls up onto the sidewalk, clips your ankle, or blocks your wheelchair at a curb, it feels very different. There’s no driver to confront, no license plate to copy down, and often no clear instructions on what to do next.
Yet autonomous delivery robot collisions can leave you with real injuries, real medical bills, and real anxiety about walking in your own neighborhood. In Texas, these incidents fall into a new but very real area of personal injury law – and you do have rights.
This article explains how Texas law treats sidewalk delivery robots, how tech companies try to defend themselves, and how you can prove negligence when no human was holding a steering wheel.
When a “Friendly” Delivery Robot Hurts You
Picture this: You’re walking along a Houston sidewalk on your way home from work. A knee‑high delivery robot buzzes up behind you, swerves to avoid a trash can, and slams into your leg. You fall hard on the concrete. Your phone screen shatters. Your knee starts to swell. The robot pauses for a second, then calmly rolls away to finish its route.
You feel embarrassed, angry, and confused.
- Who do you even report this to?
- Is there insurance for robots?
- Will anyone take you seriously, or just say it was “just a glitch”?
You are not alone. People across the country have reported robots blocking wheelchair users at curb ramps, striking people on mobility scooters, and cutting off pedestrians in crosswalks. These are not harmless glitches. They are safety failures, and under Texas law they can form the basis of a personal injury claim.
Why Autonomous Delivery Robot Collisions Are So Risky for Houston Pedestrians
Texas already has a serious pedestrian safety problem. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were more than 6,000 crashes involving pedestrians in 2024, leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of serious injuries statewide. Pedestrian deaths in Texas have increased sharply in recent years.
Now add heavy machines to crowded sidewalks:
- Many delivery robots weigh hundreds of pounds.
- Some can travel at speeds up to 10 mph on sidewalks and 20 mph on road shoulders under Texas law.
- They move close to children, older adults, and people using wheelchairs or walkers.
When something goes wrong, these machines can:
- Knock you down and cause fractures, concussions, or torn ligaments
- Damage wheelchairs, walkers, or mobility scooters, which are expensive and essential
- Trigger anxiety and fear of walking in your own neighborhood
These are real injuries, and the law treats them that way.
Texas Laws That Govern Sidewalk Delivery Robots
Texas created a specific set of rules for “personal delivery devices” – the legal term for many autonomous delivery robots – in Texas Transportation Code Chapter 552A.
In plain English, Chapter 552A says:
- A business entity is the “operator” of the robot.
- The company running the robot is treated like the driver.
- A human agent must be able to monitor or control the robot.
- In pedestrian areas, robots must:
- Follow pedestrian rules
- Yield the right of way to pedestrians and all other traffic
- Not unreasonably block or interfere with people using the sidewalk
- Speed limits:
- Up to 10 mph on sidewalks and crosswalks
- Up to 20 mph on the side of a roadway
- Robots must have:
- A visible marker with the owner’s name, contact information, and a unique ID number
- A reliable braking system
- Lights at night so others can see them
- The operator must carry at least $100,000 in general liability insurance for robot‑related injuries or damage.
When a company ignores or breaks these rules – for example, by blocking a curb ramp, speeding through a crowd, or failing to yield to you – that can support a claim of negligence and even negligence per se (violation of a safety statute).
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Delivery Robot Accident?
After a sidewalk robot collision, there may be several responsible parties:
- The robot operating company The tech company that owns, controls, or dispatches the robot is often the main target. Under Texas law, this company is treated as the operator.
- The remote human monitor or operator If a person in a control center ignored alerts or chose an unsafe maneuver, that strengthens liability.
- The robot manufacturer or software developer If defective design, faulty sensors, or bad programming caused the collision, you may have a product liability case as well.
- The restaurant or merchant using the robot If a business overloaded the robot, forced it into unsafe areas, or kept using it despite problems, it can share responsibility.
- Property owners or the city Dangerous sidewalk conditions, missing curb cuts, or poor maintenance can create shared liability in some cases.
You should not have to sort this out on your own while you’re hurting. A Houston personal injury lawyer from a firm like Joe I. Zaid & Associates can investigate who truly controlled the robot and its data at the time of your injury.
How Tech Companies Defend These Cases
When you report a delivery robot accident, expect pushback. Common defenses include:
- Blaming you The company may say you “stepped out suddenly,” “weren’t paying attention,” or misused the sidewalk. Texas uses modified comparative negligence. If a jury finds you more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. If you are 50% or less at fault, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
- “We followed all the rules” They may claim full compliance with Chapter 552A and local rules. But following the bare minimum regulations does not excuse unreasonable behavior.
- Calling it a rare tech glitch Companies like to say, “This never happens.” Robot logs, video, and sensor data often tell a different story.
- Pointing fingers at others They may blame the manufacturer, the restaurant, a maintenance contractor, or even the city.
- Hiding behind app terms and fine print Delivery apps sometimes use arbitration clauses or liability waivers. If you were a bystander who never agreed to those terms, they often do not apply to you, but the company might still try to use them to scare you away.
Our job is to cut through these defenses, get the data, and tell your story clearly and strongly.
Proving Negligence When There’s No Human Driver
You might wonder, “How do we prove the robot was wrong when there was no driver to watch?”
In these cases, we focus on data and human evidence:
- Robot video and sensor data showing where the robot went, what it “saw,” and how it reacted
- Remote operator logs and communications documenting who was monitoring the robot and what choices they made
- GPS and mapping records showing speed, path, and timing
- Maintenance and software update records revealing known issues or ignored warnings
Just as important are your actions at the scene:
- Photos or video of the robot, including its ID number, company logo, and damage
- Photos of the sidewalk, curb ramp, intersection, and your injuries
- Names and contact information of witnesses
- Copies of any incident report made to the company, police, or property owner
The faster you act, the better. Robot data can disappear or be overwritten. When you call an experienced Houston lawyer quickly, we can send preservation letters and start working to secure that evidence.
What To Do Right After a Delivery Robot Hits You
If a delivery robot collides with you or knocks you down:
- Get medical care immediately. Even if you feel “okay,” concussions and soft‑tissue injuries can show up hours or days later.
- Document the scene.
- Take photos of the robot, its unique ID, and any logos or branding.
- Photograph your injuries, broken glasses or phone, and any damaged wheelchair or walker.
- Get witness information. Ask for names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
- Note the time, location, and nearby businesses. This helps us track security cameras and company records.
- Do not sign anything or accept quick “goodwill” offers from the company or their insurer before talking to a lawyer.
- Contact a Texas personal injury attorney who understands autonomous systems.
If you also drive, you may already know us from car accident or truck accident cases. Many of the same principles apply here, with added complexity from software and robotics.
Compensation You May Recover Under Texas Law
After a delivery robot collision, you may qualify for:
- Economic damages, such as:
- Emergency room and hospital bills
- Follow‑up visits, physical therapy, and medication
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Repair or replacement of phones, glasses, wheelchairs, walkers, or scooters
- Non‑economic damages, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and anxiety about walking outside
- Loss of enjoyment of life if you can’t do what you used to
In rare, extreme cases of reckless conduct, Texas allows exemplary (punitive) damages, although the law caps those at certain amounts.
The robot company’s $100,000 insurance policy is often just a starting point, not the ceiling. We look at all possible sources of recovery so you are not left carrying the costs of a corporation’s experiment.
